The light bulb and the sneeze
by annthetropicalfish
Summary: [Repost with edits] The perks of having Peeta Mellark around. Post MJ,pre Epilogue.


The first time Katniss told Peeta that she loved him, the actual words, without being asked, just because, was when she saw him sneeze while he was changing a light bulb.

She had just entered the kitchen, a bag full of fresh game on her shoulder. Peeta was standing on a chair in the middle of the kitchen with his arms in the air and his t-shirt, the white one with yellow and red paint stains, had lifted a bit, revealing not only a patch of fair hair that lead to southern regions of Peeta but also a piece of the green waistband of his boxer shorts.

She was mesmerized and a bit turned on by this ordinary act, so domestic that she felt a rush of happiness for having this wonderful boy with her. Here, in her house. Changing the bulb light of her kitchen.

He was finishing with the light bulb when, the dust from the old one made him sneeze. It was a soft sneeze, followed by a soft 'damn it' and a sniff.

And Katniss laughed

"I love you" she said, surprising them both. Peeta jumped a bit, because until that moment he was oblivious to her presence. He looked at her, arms falling slowly at his side.

Katniss was smiling at him shyly. If words were not easy for her, words of love were gigantic deal, but that 'I love you' took advantage from the rational side's distraction and jumped at the chance to be said and heard.

He jumped from the chair, wincing a bit when his prosthetic leg reached the floor.

"I love you too" he said slowly.

"Ok " Katniss said, scratching the back of her neck. "I ...ok,umm, I should...yeah, ok, good. I should skin this" she said lifting the bag and fidgeting on her feet . Peeta laughed and threw the light bulb on the trash can.

"No you don't" he said and with three loud strides he was there with her, wrapping his arms around her small body, giving her a big bear hug, kissing her neck and making her laugh.

She held him tightly, with her hands on his back and dropped her head on his shoulder, while he kissed her, mumbling nonsense.

She dropped the game bag on the floor and kissed his lips, with hunger and need, forgetting about the fact that she was sweaty from the woods and her clothes were dirty from the mud.

"How was your day?" he asked, between kisses. Katniss shushed him with a kiss and pulled his white t-shirt over his head and tossed it on the floor. She ran her fingers slowly through his belly, nails scratching all the way from his chest until she reached the first button on his corduroy trousers. She looked at him, biting her lower lip.

The first time they had had sex was just a shy month ago. They were still on the part where practice made perfect and they were more than eager to know what made the other sigh,moan and whimper.

Katniss sometimes thought about the noises she made during their lovemaking, noises that probably would make her blush and hide her face in mortification and even thinking about Peeta going down on her would cause a slightly shame,but Peeta always manage to make her forget about all of her inhibitions and second thoughts.

And she loved what he could make her feel.

And the feeling was mutual, she could tell.

Like this particularly moment. The need to feel him right now was overwhelming and he could see it on her eyes.

Peeta lifted Katniss on the counter and with a few new expert moves he took her boots, pants and underwear and in no time and without foreplay she took him with her small hand and guided him to her,eliciting a soft moan when he entered her.

Oh, he was going to change the entire circuit breaker in the District.

* * *

They were still on the counter, breathing heavily.

"I meant what I said earlier. I love you- love you, like in love with you, you know that, right?"Katniss mumbled, with her forehead against his.

He looked at her and realized how important was for her to actually say those words, because of course he knows she is in love with him.

She speaks with actions; when she opens the window a bit before bed and when she takes him to the woods to sketch and when she stares, really stares, at him, thinking that he doesn't notices but he does, and when he asks her, she blushes and says things under her breath like 'eyelashes', 'too long' and 'tangled'.

Yes, he knows.

"I'm in love with you too, but I think you already know that" Peeta said kissing her shoulder and crouching down to pick up Katniss clothes. They dressed quickly, smiling at each other for having sex on the kitchen counter.

Katniss combed his hair with her fingers. She kissed him on his cheek and moved to the stairs, when they heard a flock of geese honking outside which meant...

"Sweetheart!" Haymitch was standing on her door. He knocked one time and opened the door. Buttercup ran towards Peeta's legs,knowing he would get a pat and something to eat.

"Hey Haymitch, come in" Peeta greeted him, putting the chair that was in the middle of the kitchen back under the table. Katniss grabbed the game bag and left it on the counter. Buttercup was now purring at his feet and Peeta pat him between the ears.

"Sweetheart,help me with that goddamn pen for the geese, you promised" Haymitch said. He looked sober and clean. And very irritated.

Katniss shook her head.

"I think Peeta should help you, he's much better at that stuff. He changed the kitchen's light bulb today and he promised me that he was going to change the light bulbs of my bedroom tonight" she said, tugging at the end of her braid and blushing a bit. Peeta's jaw dropped. Katniss looked at him and lift an eyebrow a bit. He smiled, amazed.

"Ok, let's go kid, I want to control the creatures" Haymitch grabbed Peeta by the front of his t-shirt and pulled him towards the door.

"Don't keep him to yourself Haymitch, I really need those lamps" Katniss yelled from the stairs. Peeta laughed and followed Haymitch.

"This won't take more than an hour, right?" Peeta asked, walking with Haymitch and the geese. Haymitch grunted something and the geese honked louder and Peeta laughed, because Katniss was waiting for him in her house and because she was in love with him and after everything he was able to laugh just because.

* * *

I changed a few things from the first time,but not much. All mistakes are mine,that didn't change.

Thanks for reading :)


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